Recipe: Cardamom and Lime Tart with Lime Pastry

CARDAMOM AND LIME TART WITH LIME PASTRY

"If you don't have time to make pastry, use prepared short-crust pastry. Sprinkle some lime zest over it, fold and roll out with a rolling pin to the required size."

FOR THE TART FILLING:
1 tablespoon grated lime zest (15 mL)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (125 mL)
2 teaspoons ground green cardamom seeds (10 mL)
5 medium eggs (or 4 large)
1 1/4 cups table (18%) cream (300 mL)
3/4 cup superfine (caster) sugar (175 mL)
FOR THE LIME PASTRY:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (300 mL)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (15 mL)
6 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons cold butter, cut into cubes (100 mL)
1 egg yolk, beaten
2 tablespoons ice water (approx.) (25 mL)
1 teaspoon grated lime zest (5 mL)
Few drops vanilla
Confectioner's (icing) sugar

TO MAKE THE THE FILLING:
Heat lime zest, lime juice and cardamom in a small saucepan for 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Whisk in eggs, cream and sugar. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

TO MAKE THE PASTRY:
Pulse flour, sugar and butter in a food processor until mixture resembles bread crumbs (or rub in the butter with the tips of your fingers).

Transfer to a bowl. Whisk together egg yolk, ice water, lime zest and vanilla; stir into flour to make a dough. Add more water if necessary to make a firm, pliable dough, then knead gently for 20 seconds, until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190C).

Line an 8- or 9-inch (20 or 23 cm) tart pan with pastry and chill again until firm.

WHEN READY TO BAKE:
Bake the pastry blind (cover with parchment paper, fill with rice and cook for 10-15 minutes), then remove paper and rice and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Turn oven down to 325 degrees F (160C).


Pour filling into pastry shell and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until set but with a very slight wobble. Let cool, remove tart pan and dust with confectioner's sugar.

Makes 6-8 servings
Adapted from source: The Spice and Herb Bible: Second Edition by Ian Hemphill with recipes by Kate Hemphill (Robert Rose; September 2006)